(1.) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to placement head apparatus for positioning micro-electronic components on printed circuit boards.
(2.) Summary of the Prior Art
The processing of chip-size electronic components for placement on a printed circuit board is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 299,979 filed Sept. 8, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,064. In this system the component is transported from a supply source to a placement head which positions the component between the conductive lands of the circuit on the board. In commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 479,121 filed Apr. 21, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,829, there is disclosed the software for measuring the size of each component so that the component is properly positioned on the placement head to assure the component is placed between the conductive lands of the board.
In both of the above disclosures, the placement head performs an up and down motion from the position of receiving the component to positioning the component on the board.
There are machines for automatically obtaining a chip-size component from a supply source and transporting the component to a placement head which positions the component on a printed circuit board. Examples of these machines are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,307,832; 4,327,482; 4,346,514, and 4,393,579. None of these prior patented devices however have a component receiving means under the placement head which is positionable to compensate for various size components to assure that the placement head positions the component between the conductive lands on the circuit board.